Pharmaceutical Schaper & Brümmer Consolidates Servers and Applications with SUSE Linux SUSE Linux partners with GIS to reduce servers, improve efficiencies

March 20, 2003


SUSE Linux today announced the completion of a sweeping server consolidation with Schaper & Brümmer, the German-based manufacturer of the herbal drug Esberitox.

Nuremberg

SUSE Linux today announced the completion of a sweeping server consolidation with Schaper & Brümmer, the German-based manufacturer of the herbal drug Esberitox.

SUSE Linux, along with Gesellschaft für InformationsSysteme (GIS), a SUSE Linux Premium Business Partner, consolidated IBM Netfinity severs with Microsoft NT into IBM xSeries servers using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8, powered by UnitedLinux.

For mid-sized Schaper & Brümmer, the burgeoning growth of natural medicines marked the beginning of an ongoing success story. This growth was accompanied by the growing scope and complexity of the company IT.

"New investments in IT were necessary, however, it made more sense to invest in the further development of the company IT -- instead of merely paying static license fees," said Norbert Söchtig, IT Manager, Schaper & Brümmer. "With SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, we killed two birds with one stone: Open Source technology saved license costs, and at the same time, we have two reliable partners - SUSE Linux and GIS - who guarantee investment security, support, and system maintenance."

SUSE Linux and GIS created a future-proof migration of the operating system platform to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 within 40 days of signing on to the project. The systematic consolidation of servers and applications lead to substantial savings -- and increased security.

"Practical application has proved that Linux-based solutions are the key to the successful development of inexpensive and technically mature infrastructures for professional environments," said Thomas Schrader, Sales Manager at GIS. "With the support of the Linux experts of SuSE Linux, we feel that our company is well equipped for the effective expansion of our Linux strategy."

"Schaper & Brümmer needed to prepare for further growth - improving the scalability, stability and security of their growing IT, while at the same time limiting costs," said Petra Heinrich, VP Partner Sales & Services, SUSE Linux. "GIS was able to build and implement the project quickly and efficiently - giving the customer the flexibility and cost savings they needed to grow."

About Schaper & Brümmer

Schaper & Brümmer is a third-generation family enterprise. The company specializes in the research, development, production, and sale of natural drugs for the treatment of human illnesses.

With a staff of 330, the company's revenues were EUR 44 million in 2000. Every year, about EUR 8 million are spent for medical and technical research for the scientific enhancement of existing preparations as well as the analysis of new medicinal herbs and the introduction of new drugs. These research and development activities are conducted in close collaboration with universities and other scientific institutions.
www.schaper-bruemmer.de

About GIS

The IT and management consultancy GIS Gesellschaft für InformationsSysteme mbH, which is headquartered in Hannover and runs branch offices in Hamburg and Northeim, was established in Hannover in 1995. GIS is authorized Lotus Premier Partner, IBM Business Partner, AT&T Business Alliance Partner, and SUSE Linux Premium Business Partner. The business activities of GIS focus on the flexible integration of innovative information systems in changing company structures, workflows, and polymorphous IT environments. The projects of GIS are designed to lead to future-oriented, efficient, and reliable customer.

About Novell
Novell, Inc. is a leading provider of information solutions that deliver secure identity management (Novell® Nsure™), Web application development (Novell exteNd™) and cross-platform networking services (Novell Nterprise™), all supported by strategic consulting and professional services (Novell NgageSM). Active in the open source community with its Ximian and SUSE Linux brands, Novell is firmly committed to open source and offers comprehensive Linux products and services for the enterprise, from the desktop to the server. Novell's vision of one Net - a world without information boundaries - helps customers realize the value of their information securely and economically. For more information, call Novell's Customer Response Center at (888) 321-4CRC (4272) or visit http://www.novell.com. Press should visit http://www.novell.com/pressroom.

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